Thomson Family Crest (At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld.)

Notes

1 ST. ANDREWS RD. What: A pre-Confederation house in Scarborough built by a son of the area's first settlers, David and Mary Thomson. Asking price: $585, 000 Taxes: $3, 173 (2006)

The property: This fieldstone house was built in 1848 by William Thomson, the eighth of 12 children born to David and Mary Thomson, the first settlers in Scarborough. The house is one of five designated heritage buildings ? including St Andrew's Presbyterian Church ? located just north of Highland Creek along St Andrews Road, making the tree-lined street one of the most historic in the area.

Amenities: The home has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a living room with fireplace, a library, a study and an open nook with a closet on the second floor that is used as a sewing room. The lower-level kitchen has an open-hearth fireplace and access to the formal dining room. There is also a cellar, workshop, laundry room, mudroom and an attached, oversized garage. The electrical service has been upgraded to 400-amp.

David and Mary Thomson arrived in New York, USA around 1792 and entered Canada in 1795, eventually moving to York, or what is now Toronto, where David worked as a stonemason on the Parliament buildings. The couple first settled near the mouth of the Don River. But because of the danger of malaria, they moved to higher ground, amid the forest surrounding Highland Creek, which was then wider and stronger, and supported sawmill operations.

A log cabin was built for them in 1796, followed in 1815 by a larger home on what is now St Andrews Road. At one point, David farmed about 600 Acres, a large portion of which was donated to the nearby Church and now makes up Thomson Memorial Park, which features sports fields, a nature trail and a collection of historic homes near the Scarborough Historical Museum.

In 1848, William built his own home there, calling it "Bonese" after the family Farm in Bentpath, Scotland. A few years later, his cousin constructed a brick house on a separate property on the road, also designated a heritage home.

Members of the Thomson family occupied the house built by William until 1970, when the last occupant ? David's great granddaughter, Dr. Isabella Davidson ? died. She was a well-known member of the community, being the first woman in Scarborough to graduate (1902) with a degree in medicine.

Unlike other historic homes in the city, this one has a sizable 90- by 174-foot Lot, which features a large front yard and a backyard with a patio, gazebo and small pond, with room left to install an in-ground pool, agent Charles Ferreira says. The current owners purchased the home in 1985 and raised two children as well as grandchildren there, he notes.

The home is called a "bank house" as the north and west portions are built into the Highland Creek embankment. All three floors are above ground, although that is true of the lower level only at the rear. The front entrance leads into the second floor.

With 18-inch stone walls and extra-deep windowsills, the quality of construction compares favourably with and in some ways even surpasses homes built today. Soft mortar was used to allow for expansion and contraction.

The original beamed ceilings can be seen in the lower-level kitchen and dining room. "They're as straight today as they were 160-years ago, " Mr. Ferreira says. The tiger maple cupboards were made from the wood of trees cut down in the surrounding forest.

The main floor (above the lower level) includes a living room, study and library. Many of the original walls and door frames have been maintained, but the sleeping quarters in the centre were opened up in 1920 to add stairs to a third-storey addition where the bedrooms are now located. The house now has about 3, 600 square feet of living space.

Other original features include some of the windows, the crane in the kitchen's fireplace and some door latches. Pieces authentic to the period were used to replace any missing or damaged hardware.

As for modern conveniences, there is 400-amp electrical service, air conditioning and laundry facilities, as well as updated kitchen appliances, sink and cabinetry.

The residential area is well-served by public transit and nearby Highway 401, as well as by schools, a hospital and the Scarborough Town Centre.

Mr. Ferreira expects potential buyers will have a passion for Canadian history, like the current owners, who were both board members of the Scarborough Historical Museum.

"The new owners will enjoy a sense of history, art and the amenities of a well-constructed home that may last another 160 years, " he says. "You're buying a historic home, but in a modern context."